Advanced set top terminal having a program pause feature with voice-to-text conversion

Abstract

A system for automatically pausing a video program in response to detection of the occurrence of a audio communications event or triggering event. In response to an incoming phone call, message, web page, or other communications information, the system pauses the video program and displays an indication of the occurrence of the audio communications event. The system also buffers the video programming while paused, permitting a user to replay missed portions of the video programming. Alternatively, the system waits for a triggering event, which includes the user's access to the audio communications event, in order to pause the video program. The audio (voice) portion of a phone call or voice mail message is converted to text for display to a recipient of the call.

1. A method for voice-to-text conversion of real-time telephone calls during viewing of a video program, comprising:
 receiving a video program; 
 outputting the video program for presentation on a display device; 
 detecting occurrence of an incoming telephone call; 
 detecting an off-hook condition indicating answering of the telephone call; 
 converting, during the telephone call, an audio portion of the telephone call to corresponding text; 
 displaying, during the telephone call, the corresponding text with the video program; 
 muting an audio portion of the video program; and 
 presenting the audio portion of the telephone call while displaying the corresponding text with the video program. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein detecting an off-hook condition indicating answering of the telephone call automatically pauses the video program to display the corresponding text. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein automatically pausing the video program causes the video program to be transmitted to a buffer. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the displaying step includes displaying the corresponding text in a window overlaid on the video program. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 storing the corresponding text in memory for later use. 
 
     
     
       6. An apparatus for voice-to-text conversion of real-time telephone calls during viewing of a video program, comprising:
 a module for receiving a video program and outputting the video program for presentation on a display device; 
 a detection module for detecting occurrence of an incoming telephone call; 
 an off-hook module for detecting an off-hook condition indicating answering of the telephone call; 
 a conversion module for converting, during the telephone call, an audio portion of the telephone call to corresponding text; 
 display module for displaying, during the telephone call, the corresponding text with the video program; 
 a means for muting an audio portion of the video program; and 
 a means for presenting the audio portion of the telephone call while displaying the corresponding text with the video program. 
 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein detecting an off-hook condition indicating answering of the telephone call automatically pauses the video program to display the corresponding text. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein automatically pausing the video program causes the video program to be transmitted to a buffer. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the display module includes a module for displaying the corresponding text in a window overlaid on the video program. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a memory module for storing the corresponding text in memory for later use. 
 
     
     
       11. A computer program product, comprising:
 a computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a computer system to perform a method for voice-to-text conversion of real-time telephone calls during viewing of a video program, the method including: 
 receiving a video program; 
 outputting the video program for presentation on a display device; 
 detecting occurrence of an incoming telephone call; 
 detecting an off-hook condition indicating answering of the telephone call; 
 converting, during the telephone call, an audio portion of the telephone call to corresponding text; 
 displaying, during the telephone call, the corresponding text with the video program; 
 muting an audio portion of the video program; and 
 presenting the audio portion of the telephone call while displaying the corresponding text with the video program. 
 
     
     
       12. The computer program product of  claim 11 , wherein detecting an off-hook condition indicating answering of the telephone call automatically pauses the video program to display the corresponding text. 
     
     
       13. The computer program product of  claim 12 , wherein automatically pausing the video program causes the video program to be transmitted to a buffer. 
     
     
       14. The computer program product of  claim 11 , wherein the displaying step includes displaying the corresponding text in a window overlaid on the video program. 
     
     
       15. The computer program product of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 storing the corresponding text in memory for later use.